This is Niche Gamer Tech. In this column, we regularly cover tech and things related to the tech industry. Please leave feedback and let us know if there’s tech or a story you want us to cover!

The news of Sony and Microsoft’s strategic partnership for cloud gaming and AI came as a surprise to many. This included one group who you may have thought would have known about the deal- Sony’s own PlayStation team.

Bloomberg reports that the deal was negotiated by Sony senior management in Tokyo last year and “largely without the involvement of the PlayStation unit, according to people familiar with the matter.” 

As competitors the news came as such a shock that “Managers had to calm workers and assure them that plans for the company’s next-generation console weren’t affected, said the people, asking not to be identified discussing private matters.”

The use of the word “had to calm workers” certainly paints a vivid picture of employees having concerns about what exactly it meant for their projects and future, but that may be reading a little too deeply into Bloomberg’s words.

Even so, the idea of PlayStation staff not knowing this was going to happen does bring into question how much communication there was between Sony and their PlayStation team.

Did any senior PlayStation management know about this? If so, why did they not inform the employees under them? We will update you as we learn more.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments below!